Saturday Chelsea Farmers Market set to open on May 4

For more than 20 years, the Saturday Chelsea Farmers’ Market has provided high-quality food and artisan products to the Chelsea community and this year, the market will open on May 4 from 8 a.m.-noon.

This season, there will be several new vendors, along with the return of musical entertainment and nutrition education events, at the market in the library lot off Park Street.

“We are pleased to have 19 full-season vendors this year,” says Ashley Miller Helmholdt, market manager.

Returning are Back Forty Acres, Beverly’s Crafts and More, Frog Hollar Farms, Fresh Coffee Roasting, Greystone Farm & Creamery, Heim Gardens, Kapnick Orchards, Mama Mofoods, Merkel Gardens, Myers Blackberry Farm, Ruhlig’s Produce, Stone Hearth Breads & Bakery, and Tantre Farm.

There are also some new full-time vendors: Chandra June, H & H Sugarbush, Janet’s LLC, La Baguette, Tasty Bakery and Zatkovich Pastures.

The market offers seasonal vegetables and fruits of all types, meat and poultry, eggs, honey, maple syrup, coffee, a wide variety of breads, pasta, bakery items, herbs, nuts, along with prepared artisan foods such as hummus, cheese, pasta and gluten-free baked goods.  Organic and naturally-grown offerings are also available.  Hand-crafted artisan products include jewelry, knit items, yard art, wood crafts, Celtic arts and more.

For the second year, the market will also be offering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which allows Bridge Cards to be used at the market information table in exchange for Bridge Card Tokens to purchase food items.

We are also thrilled to participate in the Double Up Food Bucks grant this year with the support of the Fair Food Network, Miller Helmholdt says. 

“This program doubles the number of tokens for purchasing Michigan grown produce for Bridge Card customers, doubling their purchasing power and increasing vendor sales,” she says. “We’re proud to offer this service to the community.”

This year, the market expects to hold at least three nutrition education events:

• a “Market Greens” demonstration by Grass Lakes Sanctuary’s Taste of Health non-profit
• “Summer Salsas and Sauces” demonstration on extending the early harvest with Washtenaw County Extension on June 8
• a “Budget Market Meals” demonstration by Chelsea Community Kitchen on July 27th, and a “Cooking with Youth” demonstration with Chelsea Community Hospital staff on Aug.17. 

If you’d like to know what to expect each Saturday, send an email to [email protected].

Plus, Chelsea MOPS will again sponsor the children’s booth the second Saturday of each month for nonprofits from the area and local musicians.

If you’d like to volunteer to help run the market, email [email protected].